(film review) - Blink Twice

I first heard of this film via a trailer which is very unlike me. That is not to say I know everything going on in Hollywood and the movies due out, but I do hear a fair amount of rumours quite a bit and films that have been stuck in development hell for years upon years, like The Crow for example, but Blink Twice came out of nowhere and when I found out it was directed by Zoë Kravitz, I was intrigued. I think I first saw Zoë in X-Men: First Class and I last saw her in 'The Batman'. In between that, it was Mad Max: Fury Road, so I had no idea she wanted to direct, so I found this refreshing. It is nice to have an actor turn director. Michael B. Jordan did it with Creed III, Daniel Kaluuya did it with 'The Kitchen' and Ben Affleck is also known for his great directorial work, so hopefully, Zoë has picked up and learnt a few things to become a decent to maybe even great director, only the film would tell, right? While I would not say this film is a masterpiece, but damn, it was a perfect, well-shot but triggering watch.

Frida (Naomi Ackie) is a waitress with her friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) and they are both invited to a former Tech CEO, Slater King's (Channing Tatum) private island. On the trip to the island, Frida and Jess meet Slater's bodyguard and work colleagues along with other friends or known media personalities who are travelling to the island for fun. Once on the island, whilst beautiful, carefree and remote, Frida starts to realise something is incredibly off with the trip, the island, the workers on the island and the hospitality. Frida must try to work out what is going on, and how to stop it and leave the island.

This film is really good. The writing is great, the acting is great, the plot is great. The music compliments the film although near the beginning I felt we had two back-to-back tracks that made me feel like I was watching a music channel. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts did something similar where I was taken out of the movie a little, due to the music choice and volume, but once the movie gets into gear, it's fine. I also felt the movie started off a little slow and I was a little unsure of what was happening at the very beginning. Maybe I missed it, but who is Frida and why should we care about her and what she is doing, going on in her life or about to do? But I realised that the film is more about what is going on, regardless of where Frida has been or her plans in life. Nothing much in the film is given but it does start to piece together.

I first noticed Naomi in a Star Wars movie (Rise of Skywalker), but for a moment in the movie, I kept saying to myself, isn't she playing Whitney Houston? But after the first few moments, I watched how Naomi commands the screen. She does a little eye acting and she plays her character really well, a fun jovial, carefree woman who wants something and to experience something different, but someone who also knows what she wants when she gets it, which leads me onto the character dynamics. All the characters rift off one another in a great way and everyone played their parts well as previously stated. It seems as though all the actors had fun making this movie as they were all engaging, which also leads into the story element of it all. Without going into spoilers, there is some unnecessary tension on the island which is resolved by the end of the movie but by this point, the entire story and events have changed gears to something more sinister. I really enjoyed this movie but it is triggering. Zoë did a great job with telling this story, the shots and the visuals, the dialogue, the execution, it was all very well done. I think I would have cleaned up the beginning a little by having a few more minutes centred around Frida Nd Jess, but other than that, I really enjoyed the movie.

(series review) [STREAMING] - Living with Yourself

I can't say I've seen a lot of Paul Rudd movies or shows, but I do recognise him from films such as, Anchor Man...... And he is s very likeable guy.  I wasn't bothered that they brought him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at all and he plays Scott Lang well.  The thing I like about him the most after discovering it, is that he has been trolling Conan O'Brian (the talk show guy) for years and there is a 6 and a half minute clip on YouTube that just gets funnier and funnier.  So, knowing Paul as a funny guy, I thought a series with him in it would be equally the same.

Living with Yourself is a funny and bizarre show about a man, Miles (Paul Rudd) who is essentially up to his eyeballs in work, his marriage with Kate (Aisling Bea) seems to be breaking down due to various reasons, so he treats himself to a spa make-over to hopefully come out brand new, refreshed and full of a different type of energy and hopefully can navigate through life better with a different and more positive outlook on life (well maybe not all that but, come out feeling better, you know).  However, the desired effects are not what happens as he is cloned.

The show has an interesting way of telling the story from different perspectives and gives you insight on the behaviours of Miles and his clone.  The interactions are funny especially as Paul Rudd's mannerisms are great playing both characters.  What is also great is due to these perspectives, it enables the viewer to relate to these different characters for different reasons and see what motivates them or life from their point of view.  I mean we can all relate to wanting to have more of yourself to do more things at the same time, like "two heads are better than one", kinda….or is that just me?

There isn't much twists or turns in this show and because the show is only 25-30 minutes, the cliff-hangers made me wonder what was going to happen next and if there were any other twists.  I was thinking in between shows (the Netflix 15 second intervals), "did he do this or did she do that?", "what happens when?".  I was very curious and intrigued by the sheer plot of it all because there are points where you don't have a clue what is going on and whom is doing what and why.

This show might not appease everyone as it's not hilariously funny all the time, as there are small moments and bigger ones, but not necessarily a wet your pants, funny moments, but Paul Rudd definitely sales it.  It is fun, grounded and very clever.  And as this is a series and is cheaply made, I felt like the two Paul Rudd's were better than the two Will Smiths, unfortunately. His wife Kate (Aisling Bea) is also great in the show but the show is more about Miles and his clone and how they deal with things, not to say she is a side character but her role isn't as big as his although she does have an episode centred around her which was great.

What I will say is, how the series ended was just the biggest non-cliff-hanger, cliff-hanger I've seen in a TV history.  It's not a cliff-hanger because well, that's it, right? That's how it ended.  But then it is a cliff-hanger because, surely, is THAT IT!?  It's hard to explain as the show is bizarre enough to take you on this ride in the first place only to end in such a way that leaves you either wanting more or you've definitely seen enough and don't want to see anymore.  However, I want to see if there will be a second season.  I mean, I thought about cloning myself afterwards.